Greenland's role in nuclear defence and Trump's 'Golden Dome'

President Trump has again argued the United States should acquire Greenland to support a proposed "Golden Dome" missile-defence system; Greenland hosts the Pituffik Space Base, a long-range early-warning radar site.

The U.S. president renewed calls to acquire Greenland, saying control of the island is important for a planned missile-defence programme he calls the "Golden Dome." The proposal has drawn attention because Greenland hosts a U.S. early-warning radar site and sits on flight paths used by intercontinental missiles in theoretical conflict scenarios. Defence experts cited in the article question the need to own Greenland for such a system. The U.S. currently operates at Pituffik under an existing defence agreement with Denmark. Key points: - President Trump has publicly argued for U.S. acquisition of Greenland to support the proposed "Golden Dome" missile-defence plan. - Pituffik Space Base in northern Greenland hosts a long-range early-warning radar used by the United States; the site was renamed in 2023 and its construction earlier displaced a local Indigenous community in 1951. - Defence specialists noted the United States already has access to Greenland under a 1951 defence agreement and have operated at Pituffik for decades without owning the territory. - Some experts say other radars and developing space-based sensors could reduce Greenland's centrality to future missile-defence architectures. Summary: The debate links military strategy and diplomatic relations between the United States, Denmark and Greenland and has prompted public disagreement among officials and analysts. President Trump announced a "framework of a future deal" on Arctic security, but the next concrete steps and outcomes are undetermined at this time.